The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-02
A DEArHBED CONFESSION.

u
Dvinc Man Tells How He Killed His
wife and represented That She Had
Eloped.
p,esionuUe (Pa) Dispatch to Nete York sun
\ startling revelation was made here to-
day by DR. J. I. Quinton, prominent ply
sician. which clears up mystery OF more
than ten years standing, Three weeks ago
Sas Crosby, a quarry hand, was suddenly
taken sick, and Dr. Quinton was called in
10 see him. Crossby's trouble soon devel-
oned into typhoid pneumonia, and he asked
TIE doctor if his case was a hopeless one to
let him know il, because he had a secret to
reveal which he could not take to the grave
The musician told him that if he desired to
make any preparation for death, religious
or otherwise, he would advise him to do So
as his disease was necessarily fatal, though
he might linger some time. The doctor was
astounded when Crosby said the confession
he wished to make was one of murder-that
he had killed his wife. The doctor suggested
the propriety of having either minister of
the Gospel or an officer of the law to wit
ness the confession but Crosby said neither
was necessary. He then told the following
story:
NV full name is Silas Aaron Crosby,
and am an Englishman by birth. Soon
after arriving in this country we came 10
Prestonville, where | have resided and
worked ever since. The family consisted of
myself and wife and Hiram Belington, a
fellow countryman, who took passage with
lis. and who remained with me until the
night of my wifes DEATH Bellington was a
co-laborer of mine, and we were much at
tached to each other | was married before
came to this country. My wife's name
was Sarah Famsworth. The union was not
81 happy one, and l spent much of my time
in meditating over the best means to get
rid of my wife without jeopardizing my
own personal safety. Bellington was bit
terly opposed to her, and frequently made
the remark that if he was in my place he
would get rid of her. | was encouraged by
these remarks, because l knew if l wanted
his assistance to get her out of the
way it would all right. We talked
frequently thereafter about the mat
ter. but nothing definite was settled
upon 1t was, however, decided that Bel
lington should be in her company at the
house as much as possible, that / might
trump up false charges of infidelity against
her But this amounted to nothing as she
defiantly refuted the charges, aud more fire.
quently quarrels were the result. The
trouble and unhappiness of the household
were known to no one outside. Even the
immediate neighbors were unaware of the
trouble. DIS my WIG NlSlUbu no one, ana was
seldom seen with a neighbor. In the early
part of September, 1877, came home from
work in rather a moody state of mind, and
began fault-tinding the moment | entered
the house. BelllngtOn was with me. A
quarrel between myself and wife arose,
when, in a moment OF passion. | rushed at
her, and getting my hands tightly around
her throat | choked her to death. When we
found that life was extinct we carried the
Iolxv - 1,;I LII
and then discussed the best
way to dispose of it. Belling-
ton said that as / had killed her he would
dispose of the remains and to throw off sus-
picion he would leave town Immediately,
and the story Of an eloyement of Mrs. Silas
Crosby with Henry Bellington would cover
up the whole affair. Bellington carried the
body away between and . o'clock in the
morning, and said it was all right. He
buried it in one of the old abandoned quar-
ries, which have long since been filled in
with refuse Bellington dressed himself and
left the town. Before going, however, he
wrote letter, supposed to be dictated by
Mrs. Crosby, to me, and left it in her
room, as we all occupied separate rooms
The letter gave in detail a full account of
her unhapplness with me, and in substance
stated the reason of her going away with
Belington was to escape the abuse and
/ retired TO bed after Bellington
left, but the struggles of a dying
woman were continually before me. The
next morning | hurried out to the neighbors
and those of my working companions and
informed them of Bellingtons treachery in
clipping with my wife, and produced the
letter referred to, which | characterized as
Bellington's own work. The circumstances
of the supposed elopment, and the excite
mani 0f that mOrnin0 still Trash in tho
minds of the people here, but my life has
been most wretched one. | was con-
tinually haunted by her appearance, both
at home and at work, and several times
seriously thought ofgiving myself up to the
authorities and suffer the penalty of my
crime. The story of the elopment worked
well. No one doubted the truth of it, be-
cause Bellington's absence confirmed it,
Never having any children, | disposed of
what furniture | had and went boarding.
BeIlington promised when he left that he
would keep me posted as to his movements
and whereabouts, but | have never heard
anything from him since. His silence if
he is not dead, would seem to indicate that
he was glad to get away on account of what
happened, and did not intend to write or
keep me posted"
Crosby trembled and sank back in the
bed greatly exhausted He fingered until
noon yesterday, when he died. When the
news Of the murder became public many of
the neighbors who remembered well the cir
cumstances of the elopement crowded
around the dead mans house out of curl
oSity, and discussed the terrible tale. The
case has been placed in the hands of Detec-
tive johnson for investigation, who says an
effort may be made to find the body of the
murdered woman. His first object, however,
will be to get a clew to the whereabouts of
Bellington, who, if captured, will be able to
tell where the womans body was placed.
crosby and Bellington are both spoken well
OF by the quarrymen, who expressed their
great surprise at the confession of Crosby.
1t Is rumored that a clew, which may event
ually lead to the arrest of Bellington has
already been obtained.